Transmission fluid in the gas?

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum, but I searched for this and couldn't
find it anywhere.

I heard about this the other day, from a friend of a friend who said he did
it as a prank, and I just want to know if it's even possible and what
damage, if any, it would do to a car's engine.

Apparently, according to this guy, if you put transmission fluid into
someone's gas tank, it will cause the area under the hood to smoke
profusely, but won't do any real damage to the car. Does this make any
sense to you guys?

I would assume that it would either stall out the car, or severely damage
some of the engine parts.

Can someone let me know?

Personally, I think the guy was full of it, but if this is true, then I can
see countless prank opportunities in my future...I just don't want to mess
up anybody's car. That, and the wife, are two things of a friend's you
simply don't mess around with!

Thanks, guys!

intraining

well, from what i understand, using ATF (automatic transmission fluid to
you newbies) in the fuel will really clean out carbon deposits and gunk of
that sort. its like taking Seafoam (god bless that stuff) and sucking it
through your intake manifold vac port. really cleans her out. im not
certain on the specifics of doing that ATF trick, but maybe theres someone
who does know. and the only damage i could possibly see this doing by
putting ATF in someones gas tank, is possibly damaging the oxygent sensor
and/or the catalytic converter.

metallikat

i would think it would foul the spark plugs and cause misfires??

jackal2000

....no.

metallikat

Wouldn't it depend on how much ATF was put in?

thefonz

atf is 1)not as thick as oil 2)made up completely different than oil and
3)...of course it depends on how much atf you use. but who in their right
mind would put more than 1 quart in the tank, and even that is kinda
overkill. half a quart for every 10 gallons should suffice, if one chose to
use this trick.

so i suppose yeah, it would depend on how much atf was put in...but thats
like saying "A dose of red wine everyday is healthy for you" then some
ninny comes along and asks "well wouldnt it depend on how much red wine you
drank?" that really was a stupid question dude...

metallikat

Your friend is a moron

newyorker

...because newyorker knows his own...:laughing:

dodger65

Lol @ ninny

Bronxie

that doesnt make sense

newyorker

...not to you, no...:rolleyes:

dodger65

It was said more out of humor but I don't think it was stupid. If you got
some dumbass trying to do this cause they heard about it from someone and
think, 'hey i'll try that'. So the car has maybe 3 gallons of gas left in
it, and the D.A. thinks 'hey, more atf, more smoke.... let's put in like a
gallon dude, this will be funny as crap'.
We have no idea of knowing their thought process. So your response saying
no it won't foul out plugs or cause a misfire is correct? Not exactly, but
I know what you mean.Your quote "but who in their right mind would put more
than 1 quart in the tank, and even that is kinda overkill. half a quart for
every 10 gallons should suffice, if one chose to use this trick." Exactly
my point!

thefonz

Strange, isn't it? Someone who would pass along misinformation such as
this crap, calling others newbies. Well newb, the bullsh*t that you're
passing along as knowledge, while not 100% incorrect, is nowhere near
correct.

Once upon a long time ago it was semi-common practice to slowly pour ATF
down the carburetor while running the engine at about 2500-3000 rpm. All
this did was super heat the combustion chamber for a short time which would
help to break up carbon deposits and potentially lubricate the intake valve
guides. While it was never the right thing to do, it was used by
shadetrees and occasionally professionals alike to get a bit more life out
of an engine before it had to be disassembled and decoked.

Running ATF in any amount in a modern cars gas tank is not only idiotic, it
is also unnecessary and counter productive. Due to modern engine
management and unleaded gas, even most poorly maintained engines will have
near zero carbon deposits at well over 150k miles. In addition to that,
continually running ATF through the engine will cause the PCM to flag
potentially several DTC's along with rapidly destroying the O2 sensors and
the catalytic converter(s).

Finally, your comment about ATF not being as thick as engine oil is in a
word, ignorant. Surprise. Dexron III, inarguably the most common ATF
worldwide, has a viscosity of approximately 5w20. The same viscosity
engine oil that many (most?) manufacturers are going to as engine
tolerances become closer.

Just think, all you had to do was say nothing at all instead of speaking up
and removing all doubt. Think about it.

vwhobo

welcome back hobo!! lol

jackal2000

Would this work the same way seafoam does or no?

Pythias

Seafoam is nothing more than a solvent... Primarily mineral spirits with
some perfume and dye. It does however work the same way in that both
substantially increase combustion temperature when poured into the
carburetor, throttle body or siphoned through a vacuum source. However,
mineral spirits will cause less harm to the O2 and cat. Here's the good
part. You can buy a quart of Seafoam for about $6 or a five gallon bucket
of spirits for about $18. How much is the perfume and dye worth to you?

vwhobo

Doesn't it foul up your plugs though? Thats what I heard from someone off
RPS forum

99integra

That all depends upon what the definition of "it" is. Asking a complete
question makes it so much easier to answer. :wink2:

vwhobo

I see, so mineral spirits will cause less harm to your O2's and cats, and
is much more cost worthy, and basically does the same thing as Seafoam
correct? And you run it through your system the same way as Seafoam? If so
they yes, Seafoam is a waste of money, but I remember when I ran it through
my old Firebird I had, only had 79k miles but using either 1 or 2 bottles
of it we got a ton of shit out of the engine, that was was just a total
piece all together though.

Pythias

Mk then, won't using Seafoam to clear up your injectors and what have you,
foul up your plugs at the same time?

99integra

Didn't for my firebird.

Pythias

Mineral spirits will accomplish essentially the same thing as Seafoam at a
much lower cost. Don't forget to add some Brut to make it smell pretty.

vwhobo

Thanks for the info, I will deinfitely keep that in mind.

Pythias

Seafoam will have approximately the same effect on your injectors as it
will your plugs. Nil. If you actually read my previous post you'd know I
never talked about using it as an additive, only as a top end cleaner. I'm
not sure how that would affect the injectors in any way, but I'm always
willing to learn. Teach me.

vwhobo

Alright thank ya

99integra

LMAO :clap:

jackal2000

you know, in my first post, i even said "im not certain on the specifics of
doing that ATF trick, but maybe theres someone who does know." which
essentially means "im not 100% certain, so find out from someone who DOES
claim to be 100% certain so as not to make an error and screw something up.
my admittal of not being completely knowledgable, and your callous remarks
prove to me youre just one of these a**holes that like to go around on
posts trying to make everyone feel stupid, and in reality, youre probably
this sick pathetic slob with no life and THIS is how you get
satisfaction.

so before YOU go to your next post, why dont you think about what youre
doing. and when you read something, fully comprehend EVERYTHING that was
written before replying with your unnecessarily off-color comments. its
assholes like you that make it dreadful to come and try to help people as
best they can.

oh yeah, and i didnt directly call someone a newbie. if you read and
comprehended correctly, which clearly an ape like you is incapable of, it
was a very generalized FYI. not everyone knows what ATF is, and i was just
clarifying what it was. since newbies are generally the ones who dont
always know what acronyms are what (and being a newbie is not a bad thing,
we all were at one point), i was, again, just trying to be helpful so
someone didnt have to post "what is ATF?" and then have you come along and
belittle them mercilessly just because they dont know. now, kindly
drinkbleachkthanks. :fu:

metallikat

So essentially what you're saying is that it's okay to type pages of
mindless drivel even though you don't know what is is you speak of, but...
When someone calls you on it, they're the ones at fault. I have no problem
comprehending what is said on this forum. I'm sure the word "others" holds
little meaning to you, but to those of us with a post second grade
education know that it's a general and not specific term. But then let's
not let the facts cloud your ignorant opinion and confuse you further. You
sir are a class A douche bag. May you crawl back under your rock and never
again see the light of day.

Bottom line, if you aren't at least 99.9% sure that the "advice" you're
giving is correct, then STFU newb.

P.S. Your use of the FU smiley underscore your mediocre intellect. Every
time you use it you lose 5 IQ points. You only have two uses left before
you become a houseplant.

vwhobo

Which is why some substitute a couple of pints of the engine oil for tranny
fluid, to give the engine a cleanup...... usually because they have been
slack in regular oil/filter changes.

Wally

Of course doing an engine "flush" like that, or really of any kind, will
generally bring with it it's own set of problems. It's easier and cheaper
to just change your oil as scheduled.

vwhobo

listen and learn. i was saying, very simply, that what i type is what i
have heard and have believed to be true. i even post a disclaimer
essentially, saying to clarify this information before putting it to work.
you are at fault for your unnecessary remarks. if someone came along to
clarify and RESPECTFULLY correct what i have posted, i have no reason to
complain or get upset. but this is something youre, again, incapable of.

and if everyone didnt post just b/c they werent 99.9% certain of what they
were posting, there would be alot less posts here. im not going to continue
arguing on here, because arguing over the internet is like competing in the
special olympics...even if you win, youre still retarded. and somehow, i
expect that you will still reply...surprise surprise..:screwy:

you had more insults than corrections in this last post, which indicates to
me it truly is what you prefer to do on this forum, and god knows on how
many others.

metallikat

OK, so I hate to even ask this, given some of the insults posted here, but
my actual question hasn't really been answered. I already knew that a
little bit of tranny fluid in the gas tank can help to clean out certain
parts of the engine.

My dad's a mechanic, but I don't want to ask him, because if this will
work, I'd love to pull this prank on him. However, I certainly don't want
to mess up his car.

If you consider me a newb, just because I'm a recent member of this site,
then so be it...I have a legitimate question, and it's got nothing to do
with cleaning out engine parts...I thought it was pretty straight-forward,
but I have yet to receive a definitive answer.

Can anyone please help me out?

If it will help, he has a 72 Mustang Boss that he'll stop using within a
month, when the weather turns, and he also has a couple "modern" cars that
he uses year-round. An '05 Honda Civic and a 99 Chev truck.

intraining

Newsflash for you Twinkie. If you weren't a genuine newb, you'd already
know the answer AND know that your question HAS been answered. Maybe not
directly to you, but answered none the less. :banghead:

Why do people like you need to come on a forum and pretend to be what
you're not?

vwhobo

No, it hasn't. Nowhere in these three pages of back and forth insults has
anyone said a simple, "yes, this will cause a lot of smoke," or "no it
won't." Furthermore, I don't see a definitive answer as to whether or not
it will cause any long-term damage to an engine.

I already know that ATF, in moderation can be used to clean out certain
engine parts...that's not what I was asking.

I came here with a simple question. I know how forums like this work, and
I've expected a certain amount of e-insults, but this is just
ridiculous.

If you don't want to answer me, and are simply posting insults to boost
your post count and make yourself superior to "the newb" then, well...I
feel sorry for you.

Good luck on grade ten...they say 8th time's the charm.

Oh, and by the way; I just noticed you've got well over 8,000 posts on an
internet forum...damn man, your parents must be SO proud

intraining

Look you stupid little motherf*cker. If you even the slightest idea as to
how cars and their engines work as you claim, and it's painfully obvious
you don't, you would already know the answer to your question. Explain to
us all in great detail exactly where the engine exhaust is released under
the hood of the car. After all, it it YOU that said;

If you had even the remotest hint of a clue about cars, you would have
known BEFORE you typed the post that the exhaust DOES NOT enter the
underhood area, therefore what you (he) said was bogus. But then that
would take a modicum of effort on your part coupled with enough brains to
know whether you should sh*t or wipe first. It's quite apparent to me that
you are totally incapable of the former and are totally deficient on the
latter.

vwhobo

Um, where exactly did I claim to have your extensive knowledge of cars? Can
you quote that for me? Maybe I'm missing something your obviously-superior
intellect picked up on. Again, MY FATHER is the mechanic, not me,
Einstein.

Where did I say that this trick had ANYTHING to do with the exhaust. I said
that this theoretically causes smoke in the engine compartment, which is
not necessarily exhaust. My assumption on this is that the ATF would travel
into the engine eventually, which is where the smoking would occur.

Thanks for being polite about it, though...you're a real ****ing role
model.

You know, forums like this are set up to help people who have questions,
not to let guys like you prove that they have huge penises by flaming
newbs...or should I say trying to flame newbs. If you want to insult
somebody, at least do so intelligently, and without resorting to
cursing...but, I guess, when your mental capacity is that of a 9-year-old,
you do what comes naturally.

Is there anyone out there who will actually answert the question, or am I
just wasting my time here?

intraining

You, my fine feathered friend, are a dumbass. You have been repeatedly
given very good and logical answers, but refuse to think about them. Let
me try now, you want to put ATF in the fuel tank as a prank ...you believe
this will make copious amounts of smoke under the hood (is this
right?)...you know that the fuel goes to the pump, through the
carb/injector system, to the intake manifold and then to the individual
cylenders(sp) right? After the fuel is spent it travels out of the
cylender through the exhaust port and out of the exhaust away from the
engine compartment (hopefully)....Where EXACTLY is the ATF going to make
smoke appear?

Please read carefully and think about the system before reposting saying
that the answer was not given.

davsmitty

you mean his kids right

newyorker

Thank you...no, I did not know these things. I've repeatedly stated that I
don't have an in-depth knowledge of cars.

My problem is when people take the route of continuously insulting someone
instead of trying to be pleasant about it. I wasn't rude at all until
provoked.

You're the first to actually explain in detail what would happen, and for
that, I am appreciative. I didn't know these things...but now I do, thanks
to you.

Ouch! So I guess stupid litle motherf*cker stands. I wonder if he's man
enough to come and appologise... Or better yet. He can come back and try
to make us believe it isn't the same person. That should be fun to read.

vwhobo

That sucks, the guy's from Ontario lol...Now, just making sure--this prank
does not work? :laughing: JP

chris_knows

OK, so what exactly did I know for a fact?

If you read the post on the PI, it says I wasn't sure if it would work or
not. The reason I came here was because I figured you guys would be the
ones to tell me for sure.

I've no reason to apologize.

That final post by Damian was the only one that definitively answered my
question, and I hadn't read it yet.

Thanks guys, for flaming the new guy. Much appreciated.

intraining

no problem

glagon1979

Once again I doubt is the sincere reason you came here looking for a
finite answer...not unless you heard that Wally (aka God's own gift to
women and motorspot legend) was in residence.:wink2:

And secondly I for one did not flame you.... almost singularly it was our
resident old fart Mr Hobo esq.

Wally

Why would you doubt that was my real reason for coming here?

I was looking for a definite answer to my question, strictly so I could let
the guys on the other site know if it would work or not. It's a prank site,
and the last thing I wanted was to be an inadvertant advocate of vandalism.
I don't believe in messing with someone's car if you don't know exactly
what you're doing, so I wanted the facts before replying to my thread on
the PI. Honestly, why else would I come here? I obviously have very little
knowledge on the subject of cars, and will contribute very little to the
site. I signed up simply to ask this advice. I'm no expert on cars, and
since this is a car forum, I DID figure that someone here would help
me...which you did.

As far as Mr.Hobo goes, I don't hold any grudges...we treat n00bs in a
similar way of the other forums I post on, so I was expecting it, just not
to that degree.

Oh, and yeah, I heard somewhere about a guy named Wally was THE man to ask
regarding the finer workings of automobiles and women, so thanks!

intraining

It's not just the n00bs that get flamed.....sometimes :thumbs:

Cliffy

yes, it actually does work! my dad did it for years but dont get it mistaken! you dont put a quart just use about 4 to 6 oz!

jhon24 Jan 2013 00:21

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